Safe riding tips

[dan filipi]

Some things I do so I can ride again.

A visual safety check of the bike for short trips, long trips I check everything closely including tire pressures and any punctures.

I like to practice slow maneuvers in a empty parking lot to limber up especially if I'm feeling a bit "off" and not in good control.

On the road I never pass on the right like so many do, even on multi lane streets. I've seen too many close calls.

It's almost impossible to keep a good distance here in L.A so I watch for anyone who's overly anxious and put a few car lengths between us, further away the better.

I don't lane split unless the traffic is stopped.

I scan the mirrors regularly, my eyes don't stop checking forward, left and right.
There is a lot more going on behind than in front.

When coming to a stop I check if anyone is close behind and flash the brakes before slowing so hopefully he backs off some or lane change to let him go by.

On the street I think the worst spot to be is in the right lane just behind a car or truck because someone making a left from the other direction may not see you. I avoid getting stuck in that spot as much as possible.

Trying to make myself visible I move around my lane. Hey, I own it, it's mine stay out of it!
I think by staying in one spot for too long you get kinda invisible to the other drivers. I want them to notice me and wonder what I'm going to do next.

I run with high beam during the day and all lights on. Visibility is why I installed an external alternator to run more lights.

One of the hardest things I find is getting too relaxed on a long ride so I move around the seat and sit upright so I pay attention more to whats in front and behind.

I put parabolic lenses on the mirrors. They help me A lot to see behind and I can spot a car on either side quickly if I have to make a quick lane change.

I go the flow of traffic usually.

Common sense is number one.

 

[joedrum]

your list of checks is good advice ....... the reality you speak of makes me think the gravel roads i deal with seem not that bad ....no wonder you want to stay on top of your game.....

 

[AApple]

:headscratch: I see no mention of headgear... oh2:
:mrgreen:
All good tips, tho.
And if I may, I'll add one...or more....
I always ride in the far left lane on the hiway...it gives me an escape route. Also, if I'm behind a vehicle, I'll stay to the right side of my lane, so the idjit in the next lane to the left can see me behind the vehicle I'm behind.
Always check yer lights before heading out. Make sure ALL of them work properly. And, beep that horn while yer at it. :mrgreen:
Stay safe, and enjoy another day riding! :clapping:

 

[dan filipi]

I've been on gravel a couple times Joe and almost dumped it, I think I'll take my busy highways over your gravel roads any day.
I'm sure with practice I could do better but it aint easy for sure.

My Uncles in Mn. live way out in the country on gravel roads.
I kinda laughed when the last time I visited there and heard they trailer the bikes over to the highway.

 

[BigAndrew]

Even on city roads i stay in the left hand lane so that way the people pulling out of the side roads on the right can see you easier
Also i never tailgate another vehicle, You want plenty of reaction time if needed and you do not want to get sandwiched in a multi car pile up, For that reason i dont get directly behind the car in front of me at a traffic light either and I leave at least a 1 car length in between at the light and probably 4-5 while going down the road

Im also constantly scanning the areas all around me for the tards not paying attention, You gotta look out for them cause you know there not looking out for you, They are too busy texting, talking on the phone and too lazy to look twice for you.... Thats why i firmly believe that loud pipes save lives

 

[dan filipi]

You want plenty of reaction time if needed and you do not want to get sandwiched in a multi car pile up,

A good reason to avoid vehicles we can't see over. Not being able to see ahead is why I HATE driving small cars.

 

[BigAndrew]

A good reason to avoid vehicles we can't see over. Not being able to see ahead is why I HATE driving small cars.

I totally agree... I hate riding behind a big truck or suv because i cant see in front of them, Its a pet peeve of mine

 

[dan filipi]

Ya, I love my Suburban!

 

[BigAndrew]

Ya, I love my Suburban!

While Suckin down the gas :smilie_happy: :mrgreen:

 

[toytender01]

:hi: ALL GOOD ADVICE;;;;;;;Bur if you want to ride in the dirt get a dirt bike these babies were meant for the highway. Even at best experienced riders can get in trouble. On small 2 lane roads it is easy to let your guard down and drift to the right and get into the sand or gravel there. You can be down before you know it and these machines are a lot heaver than dirt bikes which will eat you up if you let your guard down ....Ride smart, as if all the other vehicals out there are out to get you. My bigest peave is lane splitters especially cops.....Bob

 

[CBH]

I've been on gravel a couple times Joe and almost dumped it, I think I'll take my busy highways over your gravel roads any day.
I'm sure with practice I could do better but it aint easy for sure.

My Uncles in Mn. live way out in the country on gravel roads.
I kinda laughed when the last time I visited there and heard they trailer the bikes over to the highway.

I live at the end of a gravel road on top of a hill, and then my driveway is 100 yards of gravel ! It is a little hairy, especially going down, but coming back up it I have discovered that keeping some speed and holding a straight line is the best way to keep the bike stable. Sometimes you can feel the rear wheel jumping from side to side, but as long as I keep on the gas it just keeps going straight...kind of like a dirt bike. :grin:

 

[jdegase]

I live close to a corner, dirt both ways for atleast a mile. dirt driveway, dirt parking spot.
I store the bike in the barn with a sand floor over the winter.
our road has a pretty hard base, but the road comm. grades it when its dry, and we only get brine about 2x a year.
so I get lots of practice riding dirt roads with hard base and marbles on top.
even 2 up.
although your instinct is to go faster (makes the bike feel more stable) you have to balance it with reaction time...
so for me I stay below 35 and ride right in the center or crown of the road. of course avoiding holes, and soft spot when possible.. as far as passing cars... I prefer to stop the bike and let the cars pass. dust an all... sucks, but its better than dealing with someone who wants to go 55+ past you doing 30.
for me dirt isnt as bad as sand. also I want to mention.. when you come to a corner with gravel on the pavement... this is a very unstable place to stop... I'v even had my foot slide on the gravel at a paved corner.... you wount have that happen on a dirt corner. slippery wet pavement is pretty bad to deal with also..
if you use you head.. and try to get used to ALL environments, you'll be much more prepared for whatever you come up against.

Ride safe! and enjoy.

 

[slabghost]

I drive a bright yellow Dodge Dakota which no one in traffic sees. I make no attempts at all to be seen or heard. The squishmobile operators fit mostly into two groups. First group is certain they are the only one on the road today. They see no one. Their busy yakking on the phone ,texting,reading, applying makeup etc. Second group woke with a chip on their shoulder and it's grown tenfold before they share space with you. They are out to hurt, maim or kill you because all bikers are trash. I think of the dumbest move the other driver can possibly make and plan for it. Most of the time I need that plan. Occasionally I don't but then some bikers are caging it once in a while.

 

[traveler]

I'm not convinced that someone riding in a 4 wheeler with the CD player on max, of chatting on the cell, will hear loud pipes. Therefore, I run extra lights all around, including a stop light on the trunk that flashes before it goes solid. But the main thing I recommend is a headlight modulator. Most impacts come from the front (Hurd Report) so you especially want to be visible in that direction.

I try to go for the unconscious pyschological aspect as well, i.e., I wear a CHiPs style gold/black helmet. You'd be surprised at the comments I've gotten from folks that have noticed the helmet first, and that I wasn't a mounted patrol officer afterwards.

I guess the number one thing is to drive like you're invisible to others, cause unfortunately we are.

 

[thewhiterhino]

Yesterday in Pueblo Colorado 3 dead in two separate motorcycle accidents.
Both involving helmet-less riders and cagers turning left.
In the accident where two died, speed limit 50, a the motorcyclist had time to honk his horn. Did he use the front brakes??? who knows.
Honking the horn at a person turning left in front of you is a practiced response of many cagers. I suspect that both operators were fairly inexperienced.

I have tried to talk to inexperienced riders about the fact that people just don't see you, and just because you can see them it doesn't help if you don't always expect the worse.

At 16 years old I totaled my first bike against the side of a car that pulled a u-turn in front of me. I was doing about 55 when he pulled out, I had no helmet and no protective clothing, and didn't use the front brake, but God took pity on me and I survived with no serious injuries.. If you don't pay attention the the warnings you are offered along the way you can become a statistic. I don't know if the first accident is a necessity, but that is how I got my real learning about how dangerous riding can be.

Those that don't want to learn from history are doomed to repeat it....

 

[sledge]

All good advice .... you can never be too careful . :thanks:

 

[mcgovern61]

I keep hearing (no pun intended) that "loud pipes save lives" .....except for that darn doppler effect that keeps the sound behind the bike (preventing a car from hearing it) until after they are passed and have their eardrums split!

I have used my new Stebil Nautilus horn quite a few times recently and it always gets the attention of the driver of the car with the windows up and radio playing!

On the local highways around here, no one (or maybe it just seems like no one) is looking for bikes except to push them out of the way. I was in a constrcution zone last week on Interstate 295 where we were down to two lanes and a tractor trailer was parallel to me with cars in front and behind me. I was in his drivers mirror, but he started to come over anyway (at 55 MPH and there was no shoulder to ride on in the construction zone). I layed into my horn and he reacted immediately! :rtfm: :whip:

I wouldn't trade this horn for anything! :yahoo:

 

[thewhiterhino]

I keep hearing (no pun intended) that "loud pipes save lives" .....except for that darn doppler effect that keeps the sound behind the bike (preventing a car from hearing it) until after they are passed and have their eardrums split!

I have used my new Stebil Nautilus horn quite a few times recently and it always gets the attention of the driver of the car with the windows up and radio playing!

On the local highways around here, no one (or maybe it just seems like no one) is looking for bikes except to push them out of the way. I was in a constrcution zone last week on Interstate 295 where we were down to two lanes and a tractor trailer was parallel to me with cars in front and behind me. I was in his drivers mirror, but he started to come over anyway (at 55 MPH and there was no shoulder to ride on in the construction zone). I layed into my horn and he reacted immediately! :rtfm: :whip:

I wouldn't trade this horn for anything! :yahoo:

Honking the horn at a person turning left in front of you is a practiced response of many cagers. I suspect that both operators were fairly inexperienced.

I agree that the louder the horn the better.

What I said about honking at the person turning left in front of you is probably not going to help like proper braking and evasive manovers..

I personally believe the pull out from a side street, left turn or u-turn across your bow is the most dangerous and possibly the hardest to avoid if you are not expecting it.

Here is when I am expecting it. Any time there is not a car in front or in back of me. If I cant see the whites of their eyes I will begin slowing in anticipation to increase my options. This has saved my bacon several times, at least two this summer.

While the intent is usually not to kill you intentionally, you can still end up dead or seriously injured.

 

[jdegase]

guys, I know how people drive. as some have probably read, I was in a serious wreck 20+ years ago.
3 fractured vertibrae, a broken femure, and a compound dislocation of my left ankle put me in the hospital for close to a month, and recovering for over a year.
and the driver said she didnt SEE me.. it was a clear day, backroad, no traffic except for me and her... and back in 90' there were many less cell phones... and she didnt have one. but she did have a car full of kids.
I dont buy into the "loud pipes...." either, and I'm all for headlight modulators.
I wouldnt be here typing this except for 2 things...
firstly, the bike was in great shape... brakes both worked very well to stop the bike, and greatly reduce worse injuries.
secondly, the helmet.

I didnt have a better horn, but I do now, and I believe it greatly improves my odds.

I also want to say, I'm very happy with the improved awareness in drivers these days compaired to they way it used to be.
but I gotta tell you all, I'm also a school bus driver, and these people are everywhere, and do not see even a 35 foot long bright yellow school bus with flashing red lights and stop signs!
BUT as a school bus driver I have a secret weapon!
I have 48 pairs of eyes to catch the license plate of those offending drivers... and believe me... when FIVE-O comes knocking at the door, they understand what its all about.

also I believe we need to do more to teach our kids, and get them involved..

I'd say awareness, education, and safety saves lives.